Warning of Alice Springs racial powder keg

THE returning Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley fears Alice Springs is a simmering powder keg of racial divide waiting to explode and has warned Chief Minister Michael Gunner to act now to prevent it

Robyn Lambley says riots could easily break out in Alice Springs . Photo: EMMA MURRAY

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THE returning Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley fears Alice Springs is a simmering powder keg of racial divide waiting to explode and has warned Chief Minister Michael Gunner to act now to prevent it.

Ms Lambley, who was confirmed yesterday as the sole Territory Alliance winner from the Territory election, also said she would have to evaluate what the electorate said about the Territory Alliance Party after scrapping back in by just over 40 votes.

“At the moment in Alice Springs we have a very worrying situation … the racial divide is quite apparent,” she said.

“Tensions are extremely high with the Rolfe committal hearing and I think now more than ever we need very strong leadership in this town.

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“There is a huge vacuum at the moment, we only have one member of the Gunner Government re-elected south of Palmerston.

“My concern is that NT Government will forget about us even more, but ironically it is now more than ever that we need very strong leadership.

“Chief Minister Michael Gunner needs to come down to Alice Springs and do some work around unifying the people of Central Australia.

“He needs to give them strong leadership.

“It worries me that we have a bit of a powder keg situation right now, it really worries me. There is racial tension.

“A strong leader could turn it around. A strong leader that makes a commitment to spending a lot of time down here could turn it around just by giving some really powerful messages around unity, and valuing diversity and really acknowledging the circumstances that people are facing, particularly those living in remote areas.

“Now more than ever the bush should not be forgotten.

“We have low expectations in Central Australia because we know Darwin is the focus of the government’s attention, so asking for some good strong leadership is a pretty small ask and doesn’t cost anything, but the value is phenomenal.”

reflecting on her future with the Territory Alliance Party Ms Lambley said the hit to her primary vote was a major worry. The CLP’s Damien Ryan polled 1,659 primary votes to Ms Lambley’s 1,276.

“I have to spend some time in my electorate working out why people didn’t vote for me this time around,” she said. “I’ve never before had such a hit on my primary like I have this time around.

“I could easily write it off to just being tough competition with Damien Ryan, but I think there is more to it.

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“I do not know what will happen with Territory Alliance and we haven’t met as a group to discuss the future.

“Territory Alliance has to be relevant to Alice Springs and that’s where I am sitting at the moment.

“Over the next four years I need to work a lot closer with the Government and the Opposition to ensure that our town is supported and that the government delivers for Alice Springs.

“There are a lot of new people in parliament. I’m thrilled that I’m surrounded by a mixed bag, there’s the Labor Government, but also a strong CLP Opposition.

“My intention is to work closely and collaboratively with all of them.”